In recent years, U.S. presidents have found themselves in heated conversations with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. While Donald Trump’s recent Oval Office confrontation with Zelensky grabbed global headlines, his predecessor, Joe Biden, also had a tense moment with the Ukrainian leader in a private phone call back in 2022.
Did Joe Biden also shout at Zelensky?
Yes, according to an exclusive NBC News report from 2022, Biden raised his voice at Zelensky during a phone call in June of that year. The U.S. president had just announced an additional $1 billion in aid to Ukraine following Russia’s invasion. However, before Biden could finish his sentence, Zelensky began listing more requests for assistance. Frustrated, Biden reportedly told him that the American people were being generous and that Ukraine should show "a little more gratitude."
Despite the heated exchange, White House officials later clarified that their relationship improved significantly afterward and that there were no lasting tensions between them.